It took 28 years for the national artistic swimming team to return to the Olympic stage in the team event, after participating in the technical routine for Paris 2024. Mexico achieved a score of 243.4491 points, temporarily placing them in eighth overall.
The team, composed of Regina Alférez, Fernanda Arellano, Nuria Diosdado, Itzamary González, Joana Jiménez, Samantha Rodríguez, Jessica Sobrino, and Pamela Toscano, and coached by Adriana Loftus and Ofelia Pedrero, made their appearance at the Paris 2024 Aquatic Centre, performing a routine titled “Queen,” in which they executed their elements to the beat of Don’t Stop Me Now, by the British rock band Queen.
Mexico performed in this first competition with a degree of difficulty of 39.550 and received a total of 151.5491 points in elements, 91.9000 points in artistic impression, and a deduction of -0.50, placing them 70.6047 points behind the leader.
The leading team was China, which scored 313.5538 points in their routine, followed by Spain with 287.1475 points and Italy with 277.8304 points.
The artistic swimming competitions, in which 10 countries are participating, will continue this Tuesday with team trials in the free routine and on Wednesday with teams in the acrobatic routine. At the end of the three trials, the countries winning gold, silver, and bronze will be determined.
The Mexican team snatched gold from the United States in the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games, with an impeccable performance, a feat that secured their Olympic qualification for Paris 2024.
The Aztec mermaids also harvested two gold medals at the Paris 2024 Artistic Swimming World Cup last May, and a silver medal in the technical routine at the Super Final of the 2024 Artistic Swimming World Cup in Budapest, Hungary, in early July.